Crude-petroleum and natural-gas separator.



M. J. TRUMBLE. CRUDE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS SEPABATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NQV. I4, IBM.

Patented June 11, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- M. J1. IRUMBIJE. CRUDE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. I914,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Patented June 11 new and useful STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MILON J. TRUMBLE, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO FRANCIS M. TOWNSEND AND ONE-THIRD TO ALFRED ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

J'. GUTZLER, BOTH OFLOS CRUDE-PETROLEUM AND NATURAL-GAS SEPARATOR.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1918.

Application filed November 14, 1914. Serial No. 872,110.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MlLoN J. TRUMBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a Crude-Petroleum and Natural-Gas Separator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed to efl'ect a separation of natural gas from the crude oil when the same is first delivered from the well, and is also'designed to accomplish the cleaning of the oil from free water and sand at the same time.

- My invention is also adapted to overcome the unseating of the pump valve in an oil weli when an excess of natural gas is present with the oil, thereby materially increasing the amount of oil produced from Wells where high pressure of gas exists.

My invention is also adapted to reduce the velocity and equalize the delivery of oil from wells in which the pressure of gas causes the oil to flow in gushes or by heads. My invention is also effective in maintaining the lighter gravity series of the crude oil in combination with the heavier series of the .oil, thereby producing from on wells a product of lighter gravity than where the oil and gas is permitted to separate on exposure to ordinary atmospheric conditions. a

My invention consists in the arrangement and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention and one method of its application:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing my invention as applied to an oil well, the velocity reducing means and gas line being broken to contract the view.

F ig. 2 is a vertical section of the expansion chamber and fragment of velocity reducing means and oil heating means.

Fig. 3 is an inverted section of the expansion chamber taken on the line m w Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of oil stopper for gas line.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the oil outlet, the lower end of the outlet pipe and closure therefor bein shown in section.

As shown in the rawings the expansion chamber 1 is provided with a tapering settling chamber 2 which in turn communicates with and is supported by a stand pipe 3. The top 4 of the chamber is centrally perforated and a T 5, having its stem 6 disposed horizontally, is arranged to register with the central perforation in the top 4. Velocity reducing means, such as pipe 7, communicates with the horizontal stem 6 of the T 5 and delivers oil and gas into the interior of the chamber 1 through the vertical member 6 of the T. The velocity reducing means 7, as shown, consists of a pipe many times greater in areaythan the oil pipe 8 which delivers the oil from the well 9. K I

A gas pipe 10 is arranged to lead the gas from the upper end of the T 5, and connects with the gas collector Within the expansion chamber, which will hereafter be explained. A gas pressure regulating valve .11 is provided'in gas pipe 10 and controls the passage of gas from the expansion tchamber to any suitable receiver or destina- Oil outlet means 12 is provided from the chamber at a .point intermediate the settling chamber of the expansion chamber and the oil inlet means. When the character of the oil demands, oil heating means may be provided such as the steam jacket 13 which surrounds the velocity reducer 7. A

steam pipe 14 is arranged to supply steam to such jacket. When desired a pipe 15 takes steam from the jacket 13 and deliversthe same to a coil 16 arranged in the settling chamber 2 to further heat the oil within the chamber. The exhaust from the coil 16 is effected through pipe 17 which passes through. the wall of the chamber.

A pump tube 18 having a sucker. rod 19 is shown mounted on the casing head 20 of a.

well 9. A gas pressure pipe 21 is shown as connecting the gas pipe 10 with the casing head of the well to apply the pressure of the gas within the expansion chamber to the top of the oil within the well 9 which surrounds the pump tube 18. A valve 21 maybe provided in the pressure pipe 21 to regulate the pressure within the well, or such valve may be dispensed with, in which event the pressure on the oil surrounding the pump tube and the oil in the oil pipe 8 will be equalized.

Oil dividing means are provided interior lit) of the expansion chamber, such as cones 22 and. 22* Preferably these'dividingcones are-spaced apart, one below the other, as shown, with their peripheries nearly in contact with the wall of the chamber. The oil is delivered onto the upper surface of the cone and spreads over the same evenly and is. brought'into contact with the wall 23 of the chamber and flows downwardly thereover until it is collected .in the settling chamber... The cone 22 is provided as a supplemental. spreader to insure the even distribution of the oil over thewall of the chamber. As shown in the form herein illustrated,the.cones 22 and 22 are supported inthe upperportion of the expansion chamher by means.- of. gas collecting chamber 21L and pipe 25.: Pipe25 is screwed into flange 26 which in turn is seated upon and closes the-upperendof the vertical member 6 of the Tit), to which issconnected the elbow 27 of the gas pipelO. The lower end of the pipe 25.11; screwedsinto. a reducer 30, ar-

ranged. with its larger end looking downward to receive the upper end of the gas collecting chamber 2% which is open at its lower end 28.- The gas collecting'chamber isalso provided with gas admitting ports 29; :29 'and'29 arranged between the cones 22 and 22" which are protected thereby to prevent. theentiiance of oil into the gas line.

Avalv-e seat 31 is provided in the reducer 30.,anda .valvestopper 32 is provided with means for seating the same when oil may rise within the chamber to a point whereit may gain access. to the gas line 10. As shown thisv stopper 32 comprises a flat circularbody having a beveled edge adapted to. fit the valve seat in the reducer, and is, provided .With a perforated shank 34: throughwhich thev float rod 35, actuated by float-33, passes to open and close a vacuum breakeropening. 36 in the stopper before aetuatingthe stopper 32. A slot 38 is provided in the .shank 3 L which permits of the passage of a pin therethrough and through.

the float rod tolimit the movement of such rod, in breaking the vacuumto permit the unseating of the stoppers The movement of the. stopper, float rod, and.,,float,,. away from the valve seat is limited by the end of shank 34: coming into contact with; a bracket 39. Abracket 40 is arrangealvneae the bottom of the gas col-- lectingchamber to guide the float rod 3,5.

Aitrapped oil outletfrom the-chamber 13 provided which consists of a submerged pipe 41 providedwith a closure 42 which 1s actuated by means of a float t3 which is so adjusted as to cause the pipe .to be closed to the exit of oil before the level of oil reaches the ropen'end. of the pipe,.to thereby prevent the escape of gas alongwith the outflowingoilflfrom the chamber. Other forms of traps will readily suggest themselves, but

incense.

the form herewith disclosed illustrates the function desired to be derived. A valve H is provided to permit sand and water to be drawn from stand pipe and settling chamber when desired.

It is to be remembered that an important feature of my invention is to provide means whereby the oil is divided into a thin or broken body whereby the gas may readily escape from its engagement therewith and it is alsodesirable to maintain'the oil in its divided form for a period of time sutlicient for all the gas to free itself from the oil. It is also desirable to maintain the oil in a quiescent condition for a short period of time within the settling chamber to permit I jacket 13 up to or about thelboiling point of water. This heating will result in weakening the surface tension upon any water contained in the oil and allows the same to settle in the bottom of the chamber. The settling of the water may be materially assisted by the pressure of the gas within the chamber, and, if necessary, more heat may beapplied to the oil by means of the steam coil 16.

In case oil is being taken from a well of the flowing type, and is intermittent in its heads, the velocity reducer will afi'ord means for equalizing the flow of oil into the expansion chamber. In case a large amount of oil should be delivered to the expansionchamber, and the egress. thereof should be slower than the amount coming in, the float 33 will actuate the stopper 3'2 and close they gas outlet to prevent oil from getting into the gas line. The gas pressure will then increase and thereby force the oil from the. chamber until the float will drop down to open the gas line again. The pressure regulating valve 1 1 in the gas line 10 controls the-exit of gas from the expansion chamber and thereby keeps a constant pressure on the oil within the chamber.

In the case of a wet gas, or a gas saturated with an oil of the lighter series. such as gasolcne, it is desirable'to maintain as higher in gravity, according to the Baum as produced by my invention increases the pumping efiiciency and the production of the well, thereby making profitable producers of Wells that have theretofore been unprofitable.

The oil flowing from the expansion chamber through outlet 12 may be conducted to any suitable tank or receptacle either by the pressure of the gas within the chamber or by gravity.

When desired, a safety valve may be provided for the chamber 1 to permit escape of gas from the expansion chamber in the event that valve 32 should'become stuck or' remain seated on its seat. In. some cases the float 33 and valve 32 may be dlspensed with.

It will be noted that the action upon the oil while flowing down the wall of the expansion chamber in a thin film under pressure permits the free, dry, gas to readily escape therefrom, while the pressure exerted upon the oilsurface backed by the wall of the chamber holds the lighter liquids, such as gasolene, in combination with the oil body, and I desire to be understood as pointing out and claiming this action as being of great benefit to the crude oil derived from the well on account of keeping the gasolene series in combinaton with the main body of oil.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an oil and gas separator, the combination of an expansion chamber arranged to receive oil and gas in its upper portion, means for spreading the oil over the wall of such chamber to flow downwardly thereover, gas take-ofl' means arranged to take ofl gas from within the fiowin film of oil, an oil collecting chamber be ow the expansion chamber, an oil outlet from said collecting chamber, and valve controlled means arranged to maintain a submergence of the oil outlet. 7

2. In an oil and gas separator, the combination of an expansion chamber, inlet means arranged to permit the entrance of oil and gas into the chamber, means within the chamber adapted and'arranged to distribute the oil over the wall of the chamber in a downwardly flowing film, gas take-ofi' means arranged to take gas from within the envelop of downwardly flowing. oil, and

&

means for maintaining gas pressure upon such oil.

3. In an oil and gas separator, the combination of an expansion chamber having a surface adapted to sustain a flow of oil thereover in a thin body, means for distributing oil onto such surface, pressure maintaining means arranged and adapted to maintain a pressure on one side of the flowing oil, withdrawing means arranged to take as from the chamber, and means for with rawing oil from the chamber.

4. In an oil and gas separator, the combination of an expansion chamber, means for delivering oil and gas into the chamber, means for maintaining pressure within the chamber, means for drawing oil from the chamber, and means within the chamber adapted to cause the oil to flow in a thin body for a distance to enable the gas contained and carried thereby to be given ofl' while the oil is subjected to pressure.

5. The combination in an 011 and gas sepv arator of an expansion chamber having a settling chamber communicating therewith, means for delivering oil and gas into the upper portion of the expansion chamber, a cone arranged near the top of such chamber'to receive the incoming oil and spread .it over the wall of the chamber in a thin film like form, a gas collector arranged below the cone, gas outlet means from such collector,- a float controlled valve arranged to close the gas outlet means, means for drawing oil from the separator above the settling chamber, and means for discharging sand or water from said settling chamber.

6. The combination in an oil and gas separator of an expansion chamber having a settling chamber communicating therewith, means for delivering oil and as to the chamber, oil spreading and divi ing means arranged to receive the oil within the chamber and spread it in a thin film like form over the Wall of the chamber to flow theredown, gas collecting and outlet means arranged below the Oil spreading means and within the flowing film of oil, a float controlled valve arranged to close the gas outlet when the oil rises to a predetermined height within the expansion chamber, a float controlled valved outlet from the separator whereb a predetermined depth of oil is maintained in the settling chamber to sub merge the oil outlet and prevent the passage of gas therethrough and means for discharging sand or water from the settling chamber.

7. In a gas and'oil separator, the combination of an. expansion chamber, oil spreading means arranged within the chamber, oil supplying means arranged to deliver oil into such expansion chamber and onto the spreader means, gas collecting means arranged within the chamber, gas outlet means communicating with the gas collectingmeans, oil outlet aneans from the expansion chamber arranged to draw oil from a point ZLbOV-QvtllGbOllliOlXl thereoflsuch oil eupplyingmeans comprising amoil pipe fronra suitable oilsupply and avelocity -rewithin the chamber ada ted tospread the oil in a thin film like orm over the wall of the-chamber, gas outletimeansleadmg from thecha-mber, consisting-of a gas p1pe,.

. pressure regulating means arranged to com trol the passage ofgas. from thechamber through such gas pipe, oiLoutletmeansarrangedrto draw oil from the-expanding chamber, means to maintainisuch oil outlet -means. submerged WIthID-IlIB'bOdy of Bikini the chamber, velocity reducing means-em ranged to receive oilandegas fromaisoume of oil supply and deliver the. same into the expansion chamber, and means for heating. the oil withinithevvelocity reduo-in device before its entry into the expansion c amber.

9. In anoil and gas separator, the com-.. blIIMSlOIlOf an expansion-chamber having-a centrally perforated top, a T arranged. ,with; one end of its cross to registerwith thecen. tral perforation in the top and having ,its stem disposed horizontally, a bushingon the upper end of the cross of the T, a gas pipe leading from such bushing, a.gas-.pipe depending fronr such bushing-through the cross of the T and into the expansion chamber, means for delivering oil to the chamber I through the stem of the-T,, oil diw'iding means secured to thelowenendofithe. last named gas pipe,- and means-for dr-awiug oil from the chamber.

10. In an oil and gas separator, the. combination of anexpansion chamber having a centrally perforated top, a: l' Iarranged with one end of its cross to register with the Gen: tral perforation inr-the -top and havingits stem disposed horizontally, ahbushing on the upper end of the cross ofthe T, a gas pipe leading from such bushing, a gas pipe depending fronrsuch bushing through the cross of the T and into the expansion chamber, means for delivering oil:to the chamber through the stem of theT, means for heating the. oil during-its passage to such chamber, oil dividing means secured to the lowerend. of thelast named gas pipe, and means for drawing oilfrom the chamber;

11. In an oil and gas separator, thecombination of an expansionchamber having a centrally perforated-top,- a T -.arranged-withone end ofits cross-to register with the cenfrom the apex of said cone.

rece es tral perforation in the top and having its stem-disposed horizontally, a bushing on the upper end of the cross of the T, a gas pipe leadingfrom such bushing, means for regulatingthefiow of. gas from such expans on chamber through such. gas pipe to maintain pressure within such chamber, a gas pipe depending from such bushing through thecross of-the T and into the expanding chamber, means for delivering oil to the chamber-through the stem of the T, oil dividing means secured to the lower end of thelast named gas pipe, and means for drawing oil from the chamber.

12. In an-oil and gas separator, the combination of an expansion chamber, a settling chamber comnnmicating therewith adapted to-receive the oil and retain the same in a quiet conditionfor a period of time, a standpipe arranged to support the expansion chamber and settling chamber and to receive sand and water from the settling chamber, a submerged and trapped outlet for the oil arranged to draw oil from the separator, means for introducing oil into the expansion chamber, means adapted to divide theoil within the chamber, a gas outlet from the-chamber, and means for preventing oil entering such gas outlet.

13.111 an-oil and gas separator, an expansion chamber; inlet means for feedinga foam composedmf-zoil and gas through the central part of the top of said expansion chamber; an imperforate spreader cone, having its apex pointing. upwardly, located inside said chamber insuch a manner as to spread a .thin film of oil over the inner wall of said chamber, and means for taking gas from the central portion of said chamber.

14.In an.-oil and gas separator, an expansionnchamher; inlet-means for feeding a foam composed ofoil and gas through the central part of the top of said expansionphamber; an imperforate spreader cone, 4 having its apex pointing upwardly, located'inside said chamber in such a manner as to-spread a thin film .of oil over the inner wallof. said chamber, and a gas outlet pipe. supporting said cone and passing vertically upward-through said inlet means, said pipe being arranged to take 06 gas In testimony .whereof, I .have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 9th day of November, 1914.

I MILUN'J. TRUMBLE. In presence of.'

II M TOWNSEND, A.- J. German. 

